Toy



Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNI-TED STATES Par- ENT; caries TOY". VMahlonAili Vinter, Chambersburg, Fa. -Appli cation February 10, 1940,Serial No. 318,349 n 3Glai-ms. .(o1.46-13o) 7 This invention-relates toimprovements in toys orv animated objects and more particularly to toysof the type adapted to travel along an inclined cord or wire. V V

The primary purpose of the invention is to improve toys of this type soas to multiply interest in the movement of the toy.

Another object is to lsupplyatoy-of this'char- L acter-apparently havinga willof its own and which will perform'spontaneously instead ofproceeding with a purely mechanical regularity throughout the length ofits journey.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists inthe novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of the toy (simulating a monkey)shown suspended from the inclined string and with dotted linesindicating the movement of the device.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the toy partly in longitudinal section.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and2, reference numeral 4 designates the body of the object having anintegral upwardly extending arm or member 5 terminating in a supportingguide or hook 6 adapted to be hooked over a sloping supporting string 1.

The other arm or element 8 of the object also extends upwardly from thebody but instead of being stationary relatively to the latter, it ispivotally connected to the body at 9 for movement about a horizontalaxis. The arm 8 also terminates in a supporting guide or hook I0, whichslidably engages the string 1.

In this form of the invention, the entire object is arranged below thestring and in action the hooks 6 and ID will alternately move away fromone another and then toward one another, so that the object will appearto descend the string with a very realistic step by step movement. To

increase interest in the toy, one of the legs II is pivotally connectedat I2 to the lower portion of the body so as to swing about a horizontalaxis as the toy proceeds down the string, and this leg is connected tothe arm 8 by a link [3 so that the parts 8 and l I move in unison.

The other leg I4 is also pivotally suspended at l2 but there is afriction member [5 (Fig. 2) interposed between the parts 4 and Hi tonormally prevent the leg M from moving relatively to the 55 body. Hence,this leg will function as an adjustable elementtobe-positioned by theoperator to govern the weight distribution of the toy. In other-words,by swinging the leg l4 into a position' toward or away-from an-imaginaryvertical line drawn through the center of gravity of .the 5 body oftheztoy, the .pivot point 9 of the arm 8 will be moved toward'orawayfrom said imaginarytline', :therebyva'rying the speed of the toyandi the length of the stride. it takes as itgravitates down: the cordl.If'desired, the length of 16 each stride may also be varied by movingthe pivotal connection 9 on the-body toward or away from the imaginaryline drawn through the center of gravity of the body.

In operation, it will be understood that the 15 only necessary elementrequired in the useof the object, is a sloping string or the like, andthat sufficient tension must be maintained thereon to support the weightof the toy at the proper slope. After the string has been properly ar--ranged, the hooks 6 and ID are caused to engage the string. The toy isthen given a gentle swinging motion to cause the same to oscillaterelatively to vertical lines which will pass, between the hooks as thetoy moves along the string. In 25 other words, the toy willmove like apendulum and the object will proceed down the string with a realisticstep by step movement.

As before stated, adjustment of the leg M will vary the action of thetoy. If this leg is moved 30 from a rearwardly position to' one moreforward, this will result in an increase in speed and other interestingvariations. As the slope and tension of the string also bear on theoperation, interesting competitions can be run between different op- 35erators to determine who can rig up the fastest toy and also who canmake the longest endurance run.

For the scientific mind, the antics of the toy provide an interestingstudy. Basically, the toy operates as a pendulum with a different timeperiod determined by its weight distribution to one side or the other ofan imaginary vertical line drawn through the center of gravity of thebody, which can be varied by manipulation of the frictionally pivotedleg M. The swinging toy sets up vibrations in the string and the latterobeys certain laws of vibration and has a definite period of its owndepending on the tension, length, and position of the toy in thislength. There are certain combinations of the above factors in which Ithe period of the toy and the string are such that mutual reinforcementsof the two motions occur. At other times a dampening effect will befound. This alternate reinforcing and dama pening produces variations inthe action of the toy that add to its life-like characteristics.Sometimes the toy will actually stop in its path and wait for morefavorable vibratory conditions before proceeding. In other words, thetoy will apparently have a will of its own and perform spontaneouslyinstead of progressing with a simple mechanical regularity throughoutthe length of its journey.

It will be apparent to those familiar with the scientific principleunderlying the invention that the toy may assume various forms, and itis not confined to the shapes disclosed herein.

While I have disclosed what I now consider to be preferred embodimentsof the invention in such manner that the same may be readily understoodby those skilled in the art, I am aware that changes may be made in thedetails disclosed without departing from the spiritof the invention asexpressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A toy adapted to be used in conjunction with an inclined string andcomprising a body, an arm rigidly united with and extending upwardlyfrom the body, a string engaging guide connected to the arm above thebody, another upwardly extending arm pivotally connected to the body,another string engaging guide connected to the pivoted arm above thebody, a leg pivotally connected to the lower portion of the body, a linkconnecting the pivoted arm and pivoted leg to cause them to move inunison, and manually adjustable means pivotally mounted on the body foruse in governing the weight distribution of the body, said meansincluding a friction leg.

2. A toy adapted to be used in conjunction with an inclined string, andcomprising a body member, a second member connected with the body andhaving a string engaging guide, an element pivotally connected to thebody, another string engaging guide operatively connected with saidelement, and manually adjustable means pivotally mounted on one of saidmembers and arranged mainly below the body member for use drawn throughthe center of gravity of said memher, and manually adjustable means onsaid memberfor varying the position of said pivotal pointwith-respect tosaid imaginary vertical line.

- MAHLON A. WINTER.

